No room for Kottayam MCH house surgeons

Kottayam: Twenty house surgeons at the Kottayam MCH are staying in a badly maintained hostel situated at the right side of the local outpatient department braving snakes, stray dogs and heavy rains during monsoon. The condition of the men’s hostel building is pathetic as the building is enveloped by overgrown bushes like in a forest. The building was constructed in 1960s when the medical college was built.

Though the house surgeons themselves have raised the issue many a time, the authorities continue to turn a blind eye. They say their life is in danger as snakes crawling through the overgrown bushes are an everyday scene.

“The state of affairs of the hostel is deplorable that reptiles including poisonous snakes are many in numbers. The building is dilapidated and if it rains every drop comes inside,” said Dr Sooraj Sankar, president of the House Surgeon’s Association.

MCH principal Dr Ramla Beevi was not available for a comment. The old style building doesn't have any furniture or facilities to store their books or the medical equipment.

“Things become worse when power gets disrupted. There are no generators and power failures are frequent in the area,” a resident of the hostel said.

Adding to the deplorable state of the house surgeons, the food for the men’s and women’s hostels are prepared on the back side of this hostel. Though a new men’s hostel has been constructed in 2004, the house surgeons vacated it for women after the women’s hostel became useless.